More Cain Velasquez

Biography

Cain Velasquez’ legacy as one of the UFC’s greatest heavyweights is undeniable. His brawling, relentless style and one-punch power make him among the most feared – and most popular – fighters in MMA today.

In a career that began in 2006, Velasquez had won 13 of 15 fights and scored victories over such notable opponents as Junior Dos Santos, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and Brock Lesnar. But injuries have often been his major obstacle.

Velasquez, 32, suffered an injury to his right knee during training that forced him to pull out of a title defense against Fabricio Werdum in November of 2014. Werdum then scored a knockout of Mark Hunt for the interim belt at UFC 180, but Velasquez had a chance to stake his claim to the undisputed title June 13 at UFC 188 in Mexico City against Werdum.

Although Velasquez had not been in the Octagon since October 2013, no one questions his status as the UFC’s top heavyweight, with or without a belt. Of his 13 wins, all but two have been a result of knockouts, and eight were first-round KOs.

Velasquez’ last fight was an electric fifth-round TKO of former champion Junior Dos Santos in the final fight of their memorable bloody trilogy. Dos Santos administered Velasquez’ only defeat with a shocking first-round knockout in 2011, but Velasquez evened their ledger with a unanimous-decision win 13 months later at UFC 166. In their third bout, Velasquez gave dos Santos a ferocious beating before the fight was stopped in the fifth round.

As broadcaster Joe Rogan said during the broadcast of the fight, “You can’t stop the storm that is Cain Velasquez.”

• First Mexican-American to win a major professional heavyweight title in MMA or boxing history

• Twelve of 14 wins by KO or TKO – only distance fights were Kongo and Dos Santos II

• Trained with Lyoto Machida before Machida’s win over Tito Ortiz

• Has only gone past 2:34 of the second round four times in his pro career, against Kongo, Werdum, and in the second and third fights with Dos Santos